Search

Introduction: For most women, pregnancy is a normoevolutive physiological state; however, this is not true in all cases, as some obstetric patients present with life-threatening complications requiring admission to the obstetric Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Our study aimed to identify the primary reasons for admission to the obstetric ICU of a tertiary care center in Sinaloa, Mexico, from January 1 to December 31, 2023. This objective is crucial for understanding and improving maternal healthcare. Our study was a retrospective, cross-sectional, and descriptive analysis of 83 patient records from the Women's Hospital of Sinaloa ICU. This unique approach provides valuable insights into the leading causes of obstetric ICU admissions. Results: The mean age was 24±7.25 years; the patients had a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 6 pregnancies; 65% had been terminated by delivery, 72.2% by cesarean section, and 14.1% by abortion. Prenatal care had not been provided in 27.7% of cases. The mean length of stay in the ICU was 3.1 days. Regarding marital status, 15.7% were single, 41.4% were married, and 43.4% were in a common-law relationship. Twenty-five point three percent had primary education, 42.2% had secondary education, 27.7% had high school, and 4.8% had professional studies. The most common diagnoses were preeclampsia with severity criteria (25.3%), obstetric hemorrhage (21.7%), hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome (9.6%), and eclampsia (7.2%). Conclusions: Our findings underscore the significance of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and obstetric hemorrhage as the leading causes of ICU admissions in our hospital. This knowledge is crucial for improving maternal healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Down syndrome (DS) is the most prevalent chromosomal disorder, being the leading cause of intellectual disability. The increased life expectancy of individuals with DS has led to a shift in the incidence of non-communicable chronic diseases, resulting in new concerns, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Alzheimer's disease. This study aimed to analyse the blood lipid profile of a large DS cohort to establish a baseline for evaluating health risk parameters. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed and Virtual Health Library databases to identify original articles published before July 2022. Selected studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results Fifteen studies reporting serum lipid levels in individuals with DS were incorporated into the analysis. The meta-analysis used the means and standard deviations extracted from the selected studies. The analysis encompassed 671 participants in the DS group and 898 euploid controls. The results indicated significant differences in total cholesterol [C] (mean difference [MD]: −3.34; CI: 95%: −4.94 to −1.73; P < 0.0001), HDL-C (MD: −3.39; CI: 95%: −6.72 to −0.06; P = 0.05) and triglycerides (MD: 21.48; CI: 95%: 9.32 to 33.65; P = 0.0005) levels between individuals with DS and their control counterparts. Conclusions Individuals with DS have less favourable blood lipid concentrations than their controls, particularly HDL-C, triglycerides, and total-C, even when grouped by age. These findings underscore the importance of closer monitoring of lipid profiles in people with DS and the necessity for specific cut-offs for this population, considering the risk for ischemic heart and Alzheimer's diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]